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Showing posts from October, 2025

Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Mixed Greens, Sage and Blue Cheese

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  Serves 4 side salads 12 fresh sage leaves 2 tablespoons butter 6 cups mixed greens ¼ cup dried cranberries 2 honeycrisp apples, cleaned, cored and thinly sliced ¼ cup Pine nuts 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese Vinaigrette  ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons maple syrup ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Place a small saute pan with the butter over medium high heat.  Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add the fresh sage leaves.  Cook for a minute on each side or until the leaves have slightly browned.  Remove the leaves from the pan and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Place the dried cranberries in a bowl and add 1 cup of very hot water.  Allow the cranberries to soak for 5-7 minutes.  Drain the water and place cranberries to the side. To make the vinaigrette, add the extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, syrup, mustard, salt and pepper to a mason jar or small bowl....

Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese and Cranberries

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Serves 6-8 1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1 inch circles (6-8 slices) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 cups fresh cranberries, washed ½ cup maple syrup  3 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons fresh  sage, chopped 1 (5 oz.) log of plain goat cheese ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup chopped roasted pecans Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Brush extra virgin olive oil and season both sides of the butternut squash with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Combine washed cranberries, maple syrup and orange juice into a saucepan on medium high heat.  Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the cranberries start to pop. Stir in chopped sage. Stir together the goat cheese and heavy cream.  Serve a slice of butternut squash and top with a teaspoon of cheese mixture, a dollop of cranberries and chopped pecans.

Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese

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12 Medjool dates, pitted  5 ounces of goat cheese 6-8 slices of prosciutto 3 tablespoons Maple syrup or honey 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully split each date open lengthwise with a knife without cutting the date in half. Spoon the goat cheese into the cavity of each date.  The date should be full.  Squeeze the date closed once it’s filled.  They will look messy, but that’s ok since they will be wrapped in the prosciutto.  Place the prosciutto in the freezer for 10 minutes.  This will make it easier to handle. Slice each piece of prosciutto in half lengthwise. Take a slice and wrap each date and place them on the lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, cover each prosciutto wrapped date with maple syrup or honey. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the prosciutto is crisp and browned. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.

Easy Cornbread

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  1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 1 large egg ¼ cup vegetable oil Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Coat the inside of a 8x8 baking dish or 9 inch pie pan with non-stick spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together milk, egg and oil.   Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is moist.  DO NOT OVER MIX.  It’s ok if there are a few lumps. Pour batter into a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cut and serve.

Autumn Stew

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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, diced 2 (8 ounce) packages of baby bella mushrooms, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 3 clove of garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup all purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes 4 cups veggie or chicken stock 2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces 6 ounces fresh spinach 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped In a large dutch oven, add extra virgin olive and set heat to medium high. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add carrots, garlic and thyme and cook for 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate.  Cook for 1 minute.  Add flour and stir to coat the veggies.  Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Once it’s boiling, add potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for 30-40 minutes or until ...

Butternut Squash and Spinach Risotto

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1 1⁄2 cup Arborio rice 1⁄2 of a yellow onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1⁄2 teaspoon ground sage 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 5 1⁄2 cups veggie or chicken stock, hot 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper 3⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped Heat a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and butternut squash and saute until the onion is softened and squash has browned. Add rice, garlic, sage and red pepper flakes to the saute pan. Stir to incorporate. Add the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next cup of stock. Once all the stock has been added, add the spinach, black pepper and cheese and stir well. Adjust seasoning and serve hot with additional parmesan cheese.

Warm Chicken Frisée Salad with Bacon

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  ½ cup raisins 10 slices of bacon 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper 2 cups of shredded chicken 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil 2 large heads of frisée lettuce, cored and trimmed Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the bacon on a baking sheet and bake until crisp.  This will take about 20 minutes. While the bacon is in the oven, place raisins in a small bowl and cover with a cup of boiling water.  Allow them to soak for 20 minutes. Drain raisins and add them to a large bowl. Place cooked bacon on paper towels and reserve ¼ cup of the bacon fat. Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces. To make the vinaigrette, place the bacon fat into a small bowl.  Add garlic to the hot fat and whisk in the mustard and vinegar.  Season with the salt and pepper. Set aside. Add shredded chicken to the bowl with the raisins. In a large saute pan over high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of ve...